The Role of Anti-Inflammatory Diets and Gut Microbiome Modulation in Clinical Management of Depression and Anxiety: A Narrative Review

Document Type : Review Article

Authors

1 Student Research Committee, Department of Nursing, Kashan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kashan, Iran

2 Faculty of Biomedical Engineering,Islamic Azad University, Kashan Branch, Kashan, Iran

10.30476/ijns.2026.109202.1590

Abstract

This narrative review investigated the current evidences on antiinflammatory diets and gut microbiome modulation for depression and anxiety management. Comprehensive literature search identified 127 relevant publications through PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science until March 31, 2024. The evidences suggested Mediterranean and antiinflammatory diets to be associated with reduced depression risk (33-42% in observational studies) and symptom improvement in randomized trials. Probiotics demonstrated strain-specific benefits, though heterogeneity in formulations complicated the recommendations. Prebiotics showed promising but limited evidences. Proposed mechanisms were presented as gut-brain axis modulation, inflammatory pathway regulation, and microbial metabolite production. Current evidences supported nutritional interventions as adjunctive approaches, though methodological limitations and inconsistent outcome measures necessitated cautious interpretation. Future researches should prioritize standardized interventions, longer follow-up, and personalized nutrition approaches.

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